You Call That a Truck? THIS is a Truck

"SteveLehto" (stevelehto)
10/11/2014 at 10:00 • Filed to: None

The biggest toy I ever owned weighed 13,500 pounds. If you have the space, I highly recommend you get yourself one too: a retired military Deuce-and-a-Half.

A few years ago I saw an army truck with a For Sale sign in the window and stopped to take a look. It was a 2 and 1/2 ton truck - sometimes called a Deuce and a Half - because of its off-road carrying ability. The one I saw was ratty but it got me thinking. I did a little research and found that there are several places that sell them and they aren't that expensive. I corresponded with a guy at !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and he had several to choose from and they were all priced reasonably.

I wouldn't normally suggest you buy something by correspondence like this but I took a shot. I agreed to buy an M35A2 from him for $4,500. He even helped me arrange delivery which, if my memory serves me, cost about $500. I sent him the funds and a week or so later a flatbed truck showed up at my house with this guy on the back. The driver of the truck hopped in, fired it up, backed it down the ramp and put it in my driveway for me.

Keep in mind, I had never driven one of these vehicles before. It just seemed like it would be a cool thing to have. So, I bought all the books and manuals I could find and began studying. Again, all of this stuff is easily located because of how many of these trucks were built.

The Deuce-and-a-half has been used extensively for many years by the US. It has three axles and the rear axles each have dual wheels - so the truck has ten tires on the ground, being driven by three axles (the front axle can be disengaged; the rears are full-time).

This particular Deuce was a 1969 AM General M35A2 with a Continental multifuel engine. It had no turbo (I had heard mixed things about those) but it did have a winch. It also had troop racks for the back which I took out. Driving with them in place caused them to rattle and this thing was already quite noisy. It also was not in good shape aesthetically. All of the pics here are of it after I repainted it.

I bought the truck to goof off with and was not aiming for Concours events. So, I immediately modified the interior. The seats that come in these things were designed by the military to punish soldiers who sat in the cab. They were made of canvas stretched over oddly-angled cast iron. I replaced them with seats from a boat supply catalog. They even had handy storage under the cushions. I also carpeted the cab, after I lined the floor with noise deadening material I had found in another catalog. I think that may have reduced the noise by 1% but I never really was sure about that.

Keep in mind that M35s were simply equipment to be used by the military. They were not designed for comfort. They were designed to work and to last. Many of the handles and switches are just chunks of metal. The truck has no key for the ignition. Anyone who knows what they are doing could get in it and start it. But that's the trick. The average person would have no idea where to begin. The truck has a 5-speed transmission but also a transfer case and a switch on the dash to engage/disengage the front axle. To start it, you have to flip a few switches, put it in neutral and press a button. If it is really cold out, you can use the manifold heater.

The truck also had a 24-volt system and used two military truck batteries. When I got mine it had car batteries but I tracked down the proper ones and replaced them.

The biggest job for me was repainting it. I found out that the typical four-color camouflage scheme for these trucks is easy to replicate. You can do the entire thing with the correct paints in aerosol cans. Again, mail order. I sanded every surface as best I could and then primed and sprayed it. The results are in these pics. I also planned to take it on a few trips so I put a lockable box in the back (that's the shiny silver you can see behind the cab in some pics. Among the things I stored were a bottle jack and an air hose. The truck had air brakes and and had a spigot under the glovebox where you could plug in an air hose. I used to check and inflate the tires in my driveway (and also mt. bike tires when I was too lazy to pump them).

The engine was a Continental LD-465-1 straight-six diesel with a displacement of 478 CID. It only put out 130 HP but the torque was off the charts. I never ran it on anything but diesel but I guess the GIs who used these near the front lines rested easier knowing it would run on some kinds of jet fuel and kerosene. I had to get used to rethinking some aspects of how I thought about cars. I changed the oil on it once and besides the fact that it used two huge oil filters (visible in this picture) it used gallons of oil. I know this is not uncommon in big diesel engines but I had never owned such a thing before.

There was a warning on the dash that ordered occupants to wear hearing protection. I bought disposable earplugs by the case and used them religiously. Without them, you'd probably go deaf after a few minutes on the highway. The engine was loud - the diesel stack being right in front of the passenger mirror - and the roof was cloth. Add to that the sound of ten knobby tires.

I drove the truck to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan twice for mountain biking trips with my brothers. The M35 would cruise all day long at 55 MPH but it could get tedious since you had to wear the earplugs. I stopped to check the oil on one trip - which required standing on the front bumper - and I fell backwards when my shoe got caught on the cotter pin of one of the pintle hooks. Given a split second to choose between breaking something in my head or in my hand, I opted to put my left hand down. Notice how gingerly I am holding my thumb in this picture. It was broken.

Up north, we had a blast with it, driving it on logging roads and looking for stuff to run over. It would go anywhere and the ground clearance was insane.

The worst place I put it was on a muddy road which barely appears on the map. I decided to cut through a road which - according to Mapquest - is not advisable. From L'Anse, one can drive to Herman, but cannot drive to Nestoria without retracing one's steps. Unless one has an M35. I had been told there is a road between Herman and Nestoria but not one that a typical car can negotiate.

I headed toward Herman and it began to rain. It had been raining off and on all week. Herman is smaller than it sounds and soon I was on a road which was wide enough for my truck but submerged in spots with jagged rocks and other unflat things along the way. I slowed down and rolled through everything. At one point I came to a spot where the road was covered in water from side to side. I wondered how deep it was and if one edge might be better to travel. I got out to inspect. When I came back to the truck I saw that all five of the right hand tires had sunk into the mud on the edge of the road. I engaged the front axle and put the truck in gear. No problem. I rolled through the water hazard and worked my way to Nestoria.

Back home I took the truck to the Woodward Dream Cruise twice. I made my brother drive it. The thought of working the clutch in that traffic made my leg ache. He pulled the seats out of his van and set them in the back so we didn't have to use the troop racks. My truck wasn't the largest truck out there but it was fun pulling up next to the H2s and H3s and saying, "How cute! It's like a truck, only smaller!"

After a few years I realized I wasn't using the truck as often as I'd like and there was also a chance I was going to move someplace where I wouldn't have the storage space for it (to fit it in my garage, I had to take the top down and park it diagonally across two spaces). I sold it to a guy in NJ who put the racks and canvas on the back and drives it in parades.

I miss the big guy. I doubt I will ever own another vehicle which can be seen from space.

That is my M35. A friend of mine sent this picture to me shortly after I sold it.

Follow me on Twitter: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Steve Lehto is a writer and attorney and has been practicing consumer protection and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for 23 years. He taught Consumer Protection at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law for ten years and wrote !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . He also wrote !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

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DISCUSSION (100)

Jayhawk Jake > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 12:40

Every time I read an article like this I want to get one of those trucks. Someday...

Viggen > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 12:44

I wish we had these and M939s instead of the stupid, useless piece of shit, never operational LMTVs my unit has.

SteveLehto > Jayhawk Jake
10/11/2014 at 12:44

The ONLY problem is parking. They are HUGE. It would not fit in my garage head-on. But if you have a place to park it, they rock. They spend so much time outdoors that it wouldn't be a problem to not have it garaged. And they can sit for long periods between drives - no problem. If I had space, I'd love to still have it. It was just fun to tool around in. I also hauled stuff for people - furniture and swingsets and so on - and would also just let people pile in the back and go bounce around in fields and construction sites and so on.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 12:45

SWEET! I need to find one of those military surplus places here in Canada. I would love a K5 diesel military blazer.

SteveLehto > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
10/11/2014 at 12:46

There are places that sell all that old military stuff. I just don't know if there is a problem taking it to Canada or not.

Thanks for the note.

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 12:57

I keep wanting an MLVW. (Medium Logistics Vehicle Wheeled) Basically the same as a Deuce and a half, just set up for Canada with all the cold weather gear for up north. Also had 6 much larger wheels, a 10,000 pound hydraulic winch and that ridiculous multifuel engine. As the son of someone who worked on them for 25 years, I can say they are not the best lump ever put in a truck. Especially with the Canada speed limiters.

An HLVW would be super cool too, but its that much larger than an ML and twice hard to maintain due to being based on a Steyr.

Kinja'd!!!

Diesel > Viggen
10/11/2014 at 13:47

When I was in, we never had a problem with the LMTVs. I guess Fort Riley doesn't get anything good.

Viggen > Diesel
10/11/2014 at 13:51

I can't speak for the rest of the post. I'm sure there are plenty of motor pools (how I hate that phrase) with plenty of FMC vehicles.

Diesel > Viggen
10/11/2014 at 13:54

I remember the main gym was pretty nice. I always found that Dfac was an annoying way to refer to a cafeteria. I would have even preferred mess hall.

Viggen > Diesel
10/11/2014 at 14:02

The gyms are nice. There's another under construction right now that I'll be using, for sure. Dfac is annoying. I just say "I'm going to get food."

Tohru > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 14:41

You just have to keep showing us that you're more and more awesome with every post.

You're my second-favorite contributor to Jalopnik right now - Torch only beats you out because his articles are amusingly bat-shit insane.

I'd love to have a CUCV someday - the M35 is badass, but I don't know if I could ever justify owning one.

ranwhenparked > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:04

I used to work at a place that had two of these in the fleet. They were too big to maneuver around the property and were used exactly twice a year, but required next to no maintenance and always started right up when needed.

FCV-8311 > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:06

I love the brutish simplicity of the deuce-and-a-half. I wonder how amazing one would be during NYC's winters. :D

prplhaze > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:07

Always loved the look of the Deuce.. Having one would be a lot of fun for sure. I would go for a bobbed one though like they sell through Boyce

http://www.boyceequipment.com/#!m35a2-bobbed…

Chaparral2F > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:09

Steve, I love it. I absolutely love it. An M35A2 is the perfect vehicle for those excursions to upper Michigan. No matter how badass someone thinks they are with a Ford, Dodge or Chevy 1 ton truck, this truck puts them all to embarrassingly shame. In its environment, it would have no peer and the camouflage gives it a "don't mess with me attitude". Thanks for sharing. Gotta get one someday...

Maxaxle > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:10

Kinja'd!!!

This seems unreal for some reason.

Just wear your damn mask... > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:13

One of my fonder memories of being in the National Guard was driving one of these around. I have a buddy down in Florida who owns one and brings it to Sebring every once in a while. I love to sit in it and just smell that canvas smell.

SteveLehto > FCV-8311
10/11/2014 at 15:16

They go anywhere. I drove it in the snow all the time as if it wasn't there (in Michigan!)

SteveLehto > prplhaze
10/11/2014 at 15:17

A couple places sell those. I think they look a little too short. I wish they made something in between (although I loved having the three axles).

SteveLehto > Chaparral2F
10/11/2014 at 15:18

It was a blast. I never even had to use the winch. It never got anywhere near being stuck.

SteveLehto > Maxaxle
10/11/2014 at 15:18

Looks like a Thomas Kinkade painting doesn't it?

JayHova > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:19

Kinja'd!!!

For some reason, this shot manages to make the M35A2 look tiny.

SteveLehto > Just wear your damn mask...
10/11/2014 at 15:19

I guess they're not as fun if you have to WORK with them but playing with them? All day long . . .

SteveLehto > JayHova
10/11/2014 at 15:20

It's all perspective. Look at the shot from the rear where it is next to regular-sized cars.

Just wear your damn mask... > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:21

All day, every day. And twice on Sunday. Actually, it was usually Saturday and Sunday, with a couple weeks somewhere on Cape Cod or New Jersey thrown in for the contractual obligation of it.

Bg8780 > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:21

I miss "mine"! My base took these from my unit over a year ago and we've been stuck with the boring LMTV's ever since. I'm my shop's Vehicle Custodian, responsible for training people and taking care of our vehicles. I was heartbroken when they took away my "Lucy the Deucey". The brakes were messed up so the pedal would go down WAY too far but it allowed me to heel-toe in our deuce. Good times.

Edit: Also, great to know she was MUCH older than me and still running like a champ.

toecutter (so grey, I gotta wear shades) > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:22

This would make the ultimate camper.

SteveLehto > Bg8780
10/11/2014 at 15:24

I know a little about the GI upkeep on these. They got rebuilt once and then after so many hours they were auctioned. I forgot what year mine got its rebuild but the mileage was pretty low for a truck that old. I'm sure they were hard mile though.

JayHova > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:28

Well, it turns an Unimog into a 7000lbs trucklet.

SteveLehto > toecutter (so grey, I gotta wear shades)
10/11/2014 at 15:29

It makes all kinds of stuff. There are a ton of other things I've seen, like fire trucks and so on.

Racescort666 > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:30

I've always wanted to get one of those and swap in a CAT 3406b. The problem is that you basically need a crane to lift that engine.

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:32

This will be my next vehicle purchase. Want to get supper singles put on. I'd be afraid to off road it too much because getting stuck in one of these beasts is a whole different level of stuck than my land cruiser. It's always fun to go over to steel soldiers and read some posts. When you consider how much you'd pay for a decent pickup truck this beast is a no brainer! Thanks for sharing.

SteveLehto > Racescort666
10/11/2014 at 15:33

Why would you want to swap the motor? I'm just curious. The one in mine was not the turbo but it was a beast. All I ever thought about upgrading when I owned it was stuff in the cab. They were not designed for comfort.

SteveLehto > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8
10/11/2014 at 15:34

I'd leave the dualies since you have the winch. I had those five on the one side in mud to the axles and it strolled out like it was on dry pavement.

Eric Leonard > TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts
10/11/2014 at 15:36

I'm thinking HEMTT myself. I've heard that short of their weight, they're damn near unstoppable. And they're made by Oshkosh, so they'll last forever. Oh, and Allison Automatic, so no clutch to deal with while, ummmm, 8x8'ing. lol

Kinja'd!!!

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:36

Did you ever do any service besides an oil change? I'd worry about any axle overhauls or something more serious. I guess a heavy duty truck dealership could probably do the work.

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:37

I live in rural Kansas. I have more than enough room...

Anthony McClinton > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:39

SteveLehto > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8
10/11/2014 at 15:39

Never had to. I did an oil change, air filter, belts, and a few hoses. We also replaced the batteries and replaced a few leaky brake lines. I say "we" because my brothers (Ken and Rick) were instrumental in helping me get all this stuff done (i.e., I could not have done it without them).

Kaufmania: Mark Webber's Stunt Double > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:41

glorious

MykePagan > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:41

when I was a senior in college, one of my buddies bought one of these (actually, he's still a buddy two decades later and hosting the annual car guy weekend next week). It was in bad shape, and barely capable of the 10- hour return drive. Also probably not really road legal.

Later, during the summer after graduation he is hosting friends at his parents house and taking us out for a ride in the deuce-and-a-half, when one guy asks: "Will it knock down a tree?"

"I dunno" says the owner "let's find out!"

Short answer: it was totally capable of knocking down a 3" diameter tree. Ran over it like it wasn't even there.

About 15 minutes later we go back in his parent'so house. His Mom is standing there, in the kitchen window. She says something close to "I SAW that. You go out ther this minute and put that tree back!"

So we did. By reversing the process and pushing it back up with the deuce-and-a-half :-)

Ah, youth!

prisoners > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:43

I'm assuming a CDL is required?

toecutter (so grey, I gotta wear shades) > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:44

My pop drove a 2.5 ton CCKW in Europe during WWII. He said it took a lot to stop these things, as far as getting around. (although a German 88 did manage to stop his one time)

Cé hé sin > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:46

"The truck also had a 24-volt system...."

This is standard practice in much of the world (if you go into a motorway filling station you'll find shelves of 24v equipment for trucks) but in North America civilian trucks are 12v. The military use 24v. Why? It's allegedly because they want to discourage the light fingered from stealing electrical bit and pieces and selling them on.

KnowsAboutCars > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:52

Military surplus vehicles are cool. I'd like to own Dodge WC convertible command car someday.

Racescort666 > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:53

Just for the sheer ridiculousness of it. 3406's aren't that hard to come by so it would be that plus a 9 or 10 speed, something with overdrive, so you could drive faster than 55.

The Gray Adder > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:56

Given a split second to choose between breaking something in my head or in my hand, I opted to put my left hand down. Notice how gingerly I am holding my thumb in this picture. It was broken.

Well, in addition to earplugs, you would also be wearing a military issue helmet, a steel pot with helmet liner if you were period-correct, but Kevlar was probably also authentic, since we ran these trucks for decades. Either (probably) would have kept your head together, but you'd be seeing stars the rest of the way home.

The Gray Adder > Diesel
10/11/2014 at 15:59

That would have been a good way to (1) give away your age, and (2) piss off the sergeant major, who probably also said "mess hall" when not in earshot of the commanding officer.

Rick Allen's Left Arm > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:59

You can still get them stuck. My uncle drove these when he was in the Army as a motorpool guy. One day, while working the DMZ, he got one so deep in the mud that they had to wait for monsoon season to pass before it could be recovered.

Amazing machines, none the less.

Hawkstrike6 > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 15:59

This is a vehicle that WILL get you in trouble if you're granny shifting and not double-clutching like you should.

SteveLehto > prisoners
10/11/2014 at 15:59

Not in Michigan. And it was just below the weight for a civilian/regular automobile plate.

SteveLehto > toecutter (so grey, I gotta wear shades)
10/11/2014 at 16:00

An 88 would stop a lot of things.

SteveLehto > Cé hé sin
10/11/2014 at 16:00

I bet it also helped with the cranking power of the starter.

Diesel > The Gray Adder
10/11/2014 at 16:01

I was 18-22 during my service. I read a lot about military history though.

SteveLehto > Racescort666
10/11/2014 at 16:01

I can't imagine what this thing would seem like doing more than 55.

SteveLehto > The Gray Adder
10/11/2014 at 16:02

True. But you wouldn't have been wearing shorts and sandals like I was.

Fallschirmjäger > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:04

I wound up with one as my 'daily driver' while stationed at Camp Red Cloud in Uijeongbu, S. Korea. Transporting sensitive electronic equipment in a cargo truck never gets old (roll eyes). Funny thing I learned... they're rated for a full 5-tons if used on the road.

The Gray Adder > FCV-8311
10/11/2014 at 16:05

NYC? Hell those things could handle the Tug Hill during a blizzard.

ToastedTires > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:07

10 years ago I saw a fully functional Ford F900 Fire truck for sale in Michigan for $4000 straight from the firehouse. Cash, title, done. My girlfriend at the time was a bartender and I had visions of using the truck to host wet tshirt contests and beach parties in Sarasota.

Joined the Air Force instead. I still think about that truck.

TVE93 > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:07

I'm sure you have found this site but steelsoldiers.com is a great place to go for information TM's and all other sorts of information, I used to have a m1009 k5 blazer loved it to death would not mind having one of these someday when I have the room and the funds. Glad your having a good time with it

FCV-8311 > The Gray Adder
10/11/2014 at 16:09

Now if we could get parallel parking spaces big enough for one WE COULD TAKE ON EVERYTHING NATURE COULD THROW AT US!

Jimmy Joe Meeker > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:14

Being a lawyer must have kept the neighbors' complaints at bay ;)

The truck also makes the perfect A-Team prop :)

Cé hé sin > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:14

Well yes, but trucks in the US have 24v starters in any case while the rest of the system is 12v (they have two 12v batteries and use both to start but one otherwise). The rest of the trucking world uses 24v throughout.

SteveLehto > Rick Allen's Left Arm
10/11/2014 at 16:16

You can get ANYTHING stuck. You'd just have to try pretty hard (or be quite careless) to get one of these stuck.

And yes, amazing.

SteveLehto > Fallschirmjäger
10/11/2014 at 16:17

Yes. 2 and 1/2 is the OFF road rating.

SteveLehto > Jimmy Joe Meeker
10/11/2014 at 16:18

Well, I tried to put it in the garage as much as I could. But yes, they all knew I was an attorney I'm sure.

Idiot-Slapper > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:20

I had guy call me a few months ago about adding one of these to his auto policy. I had a good laugh and he hung up mad.

SteveLehto > Idiot-Slapper
10/11/2014 at 16:23

I had mine insured as a classic vehicle. Forgot which company I got it through but the policy was ultra inexpensive because of how little I drove it. At least when compared to a daily driver.

SlickMcRick > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:24

How many gallons does the fuel tank hold?

I'm near the end and I just ain't got the time > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:24

"My" Deuce and a Half. West Germany, This was in 82 I think. This one was supercharged. Armstrong steering. Our Motor pool was 90% mud. Oh how I missed Ft. Riley!

Kinja'd!!!

Sam I - Texalopnik Ambassador > Racescort666
10/11/2014 at 16:24

I just so happen to work on one of the block machining lines for the 3406 at Caterpillar. Gotta love the small world of Jalopnik!

SteveLehto > SlickMcRick
10/11/2014 at 16:26

50, plus I always kept a full 5-gallon Jerry can on the side as well (there's a handy rack for it below the driver's door. The big tank is on the passenger side).

SteveLehto > I'm near the end and I just ain't got the time
10/11/2014 at 16:28

Nice. I think the turbocharged ones sound a little different than the non-turbos like mine. Is that correct?

Vracktal > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:29

If I had the choice, i'd be tempted to go for an LMTV. They have a bad rap for reliability but have a more compact design and a few more creature comforts.

Kinja'd!!!

SteveLehto > Vracktal
10/11/2014 at 16:30

I never researched them. Are they available?

Idiot-Slapper > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:31

I think I actually referred him to American Collectors, but he pretty much wanted to use it as a daily driver, so I doubt they would've insured him.

1972nova > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:32

Didn't you need a CDL, given it's weight and air brakes? I grew up in the scrap business and learned how to drive in a 1959 IH dump truck, 4 speed 2 speed rear, straight cut gears and 65lb return spring...kids today, they don't know what they're missing (he said sarcastically)

Rick Allen's Left Arm > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:34

I love my uncle, but I'm going to go with the latter as the most likely cause. He did join the Army after all.

(j/k, I'm in the AF)

rubix > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:34

It would be fun to build one of these into a custom offroad RV rig. I'm still waiting for Osh Kosh's "7 Tons" to go to surplus sale... I have some fond memories of those trucks.

SteveLehto > 1972nova
10/11/2014 at 16:34

It's been a few years since I looked at this but there was no requirement for a CDL in MICH so long as it wasn't being used for a commercial purpose. It was also just a hair under the weight limit for regular plates. I know that if either of those had been an issue I wouldn't have gotten it. Among other things, I doubt I could have gotten the collector insurance on it if it had commercial plates.

SteveLehto > 1972nova
10/11/2014 at 16:36

And it's still true: http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-1…

SteveLehto > Rick Allen's Left Arm
10/11/2014 at 16:37

That's funny. Yeah, I think you'd almost have to try and get one of these stuck (unless alcohol was involved).

SlickMcRick > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:37

About how many miles did you get from a full tank? I hate that you're making me want one of these by the way. But thank you for such an amazing post.

_Mécanicien > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:42

I saw guy using his to go the shops in my hometown. Absolutely no fucks given.
Badass doesn't even begin to describe those trucks.

SteveLehto > SlickMcRick
10/11/2014 at 16:42

I know it would go several hundred easily. On the trip to northern Michigan (which was almost 550 miles) I stopped for gas halfway up mainly because it was a logical place for a break and I still had plenty of gas. I topped it off and drove the rest of the way. Same thing when I got there - the tank was not empty.

benn454 > Cé hé sin
10/11/2014 at 16:43

The Macks I worked on at my last job had 3 1000 CCA 12 V batteries.

Our service truck was an F-250 with a Die Hard from Autozone. Those fuckers took forever to charge.

1972nova > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:44

Cool, here in CT I thought you needed an air brake endorsement at the very least, but reading that maybe not

SteveLehto > _Mécanicien
10/11/2014 at 16:44

It really did give the driver a feeling of invinceability in traffic. And I loved pulling up next to the guys who had their little civilian trucks all jacked up with big tires and stickers in their windows about "No Fear" and such.

sgtyukon > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:45

You haven't lived until you've convoyed in one of these things from Ft. Bragg to Ft. Belvoir.

SteveLehto > 1972nova
10/11/2014 at 16:47

I heard all kinds of things but I looked it up in MICH and that's what I saw. I never got pulled over while driving it but I did have a couple talks with cops. One guy stopped when I had my garage door open and he saw it and stopped. Turned out that before he became a sheriff deputy he had been in the service. But none of the cops I spoke to ever said anything. It was always people who just assumed it needed a special license because it was so big and so on.

SteveLehto > sgtyukon
10/11/2014 at 16:49

Kinja'd!!!

I've posted the pic before of the convoy I infiltrated on one of my trips. I didn't actually join in but when I hit the rest area, so did they. We compared notes. One of the other drivers told me he liked my truck. I asked him why and he said, "It's so much nicer than ours."

TREE88 > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 16:50

putting in something like a cat 3116, detroit 6v53, or cummins b series helps out with that whole 55mph problem immensely. I have even seen one with a later model chevrolet 4.3 hooked to a turbo 350 trans (4x4 style with no tailshaft housing) which was bolted to an adapter plate (very obvious home brew) and then to the factory transmission. The owner said most of the time he would just leave the the transmission in 3rd and let the automatic do the shifting. Seemed quick enough when he pulled off.

As for comfort- most of us who have been military suffer from really low expectations for comfort- we can and have spent weeks in these things. I guess its all about perspective.

SteveLehto > TREE88
10/11/2014 at 16:52

I just kind of assumed that the shape of the cab and the front end, coupled with the ill-fitting canvas and then all of those knobs on the tires would make the thing noisy etc above 55 (considering what it was at 55). I've heard of some pretty cool swaps too - I just wasn't sure what people were going for since these things have a huge pipeline of spare parts and they are really easy to work on. But I guess if you want more speed, you have to do things like that.

Thanks for the note.

TVE93 > Cé hé sin
10/11/2014 at 16:58

I am fairly certain that they used 24 volts for consistency arcoss the board on all their equipment as far as I am concerned. So in case of an emergency they could jump start one vehicle with another. My m1009 blazer was a 12/24v volt system, the normal lights,heater etc where all 12 volts. The starter, glow plug system, and black out lights where the only things to my knowledge that where 24 volts on it. That way they could jump/be jumped by another military vehicle. It had the 2 batteries wired in series. The 12 volt accessories where ran off one battery which gave them 12 volts but starter and glow plugs where ran of the two batteries in series giving them 24 volts. It was a common thing to convert the glow plug system to 12 volts which is easy with one wire change. Easier to find glow plugs and they were "better" and easier to come by. I apologize for the long post this post makes me want to get another ex-military vehicle because of the fun I had working on it. I was 17 and it really got me into wrenching and as a by product of that I am now a diesel tech. I really like seeing more diesel related post on this site and seeing more people becoming keen to the idea of owning a diesel. They are finally starting to realize the power and efficiency they can achieve.

TVE93 > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
10/11/2014 at 17:02

You can look on gov liquidation sites they had them cheap at the time I bought them. Don't expect to just buy it and drive it. Most of the time the driveshaft is bent from them carrying it around in the yard with a forklift. There's also a lot of little other things that may need to be done, but that can be expected with a vehicle that old that has that low of miles and sat for who knows how long. Would definitely recommend it if it was a weekend toy.

Vracktal > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 17:10

They turn up now and again, mostly on gov. liquidation dealers and surplus auctions. Generally they sell for $26-$28k though, which is significantly more than $4,500

http://car-from-uk.com/sale.php?id=86…

http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/view?i…

SteveLehto > Vracktal
10/11/2014 at 17:18

Yes, that is pricey. One of the reasons I felt I had to buy this was the price. I haven't priced them lately but they can't be that expensive. I know the M35A3s are now on the market too. A little more modern but probably few dollars more.

Frank Grimes > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 17:20

HA GAYYYYYY! Thats a hair dressers truck. :)

There are a couple of these for sale nearby for a killer deal. Except what the crap would I need one for? To tow my entire house?

I have always wanted one those trucks and do much like you did driving about and seeing what it could do. If I had lots of money I would get one and put a big camper on the back and go camping about.

Kinja'd!!!

SteveLehto > Frank Grimes
10/11/2014 at 17:29

Hold on. I'm measuring my driveway to see if I have room to park it . . .

offroadkarter > SteveLehto
10/11/2014 at 17:30

I have a friend who is BIG into military trucks, he owned his first 2.5 ton in college. He ended up selling it and now he has a 5 ton and a 10 ton. His 5 ton doesn't run since two of the cylinders are really mashed up from hitting the valves, but his 10 ton runs.

Kinja'd!!!